A Leap Of Faith

Hey baby, I'm Maureen Johnson. Bohemian, anarchist and performer. ((Independent RP account for Maureen Johnson from RENT. FC is Idina Menzel and Ruthie Stephens. I track the tag jumpoverxthemoon.))

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

“Hey, Lover”

The first thing that Mark became aware of when he woke up was the feeling of a warm body in his bed. Without thinking, he pulled them close, burying his face in their hair. It’d been far too long since he’d gotten the chance to hold someone like this or have sex. He eventually opened his eyes, a contented sound escaping the back of his throat, and found himself in bed with Maureen Johnson.

Smiling faintly, he gently nudged her awake. “Maureen?”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"Yeah." Maureen said, unsure what to make of the situation as she gradually woke up properly. "I think you have something to do with that though."

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark grinned at her, ruffling his hair a bit. “I try to help,” he replied brightly before snickering. “So, it’s safe to say that we may have had a bit too much to drink last night.” The amused expression remained, although he watched her closely to see how she reacted.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen nodded. “Yeah I… I think we did.” Suddenly her eyes widened. “Jesus Christ. Joanne is going to murder me. I’m just trying to prove to her that I’ll stay devoted again.”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Mark stepped into the Life, sighing in relief at how warm it was. He spotted Maureen and froze, studying her for a long moment before approaching her. "Maureen? Maureen /Johnson/? Is that really you?" [Mark's stripper verse]

Maureen turned around, taking a moment to realise where the voice was coming from. Her eyes widened when she realised who was talking to her. “Mark Cohen? Oh my God it’s you isn’t it?”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen was about to reply when she suddenly realised what Mark said. “Street corner? Oh my God you were homeless?”

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Shit. He grimaced slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Maureen, I came to the city after being beaten and kicked out of my house by my father when I was fifteen years old. I couldn’t work an actual job without the fear of being reported and sent back home, where said father threatened to kill me if he saw me in Scarsdale again, or be sent to foster care. The only things available to me were homelessness, stripping, and prostitution.” And that was where he was going to leave it. The look he gave her clearly stated that he really didn’t want to get into it.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen shook her head, sighing heavily. "Mark I'm so sorry. You could have asked me for help. I might not have been able to do much but anything would have been better than this."

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

Angel shook her head and pulled the sleeve down. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark scowled. “So am I, but that doesn’t make it okay.” He sounded so angry and disgusted. “Ugh. I hate people sometimes.”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"Too right. Someone people can be right bastards."

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

Angel wasn’t sure why she wanted to admit it right there and then. But she decided that if she was going to be friends with these people they needed to know the truth. She rolled up her sleeve and revealed a large, dark bruise on her arm. “My… my dad does this.”

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark was horrified at the sight of the bruise. “Th-that bastard.” He could never understand why someone would someone would hurt another person, let alone their own child.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen's eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God Angel. I'm so sorry."

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

"It’s fine." She looked at Maureen. "Sometimes telling people doesn’t stop the bullies, no matter how hard they try."

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

"Mom says it’s just boys being boys and Dad tells me that I need to stop being such a queer little pussy." He fiddled with his pencil and notebook, not looking at either Angel and Maureen.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"Oh my God. I never knew your parents were that bad." Maureen replied.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Without You|| Closed RP with lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"Probably." Maureen said quietly. "And she didn’t deserve any of the shit she went through." She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "I’m sorry. I love you, you know that but I need to see if he’s ok. He’s my best friend and I know he’d do the same for me."

[lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson]

"No, she didn’t." Joanne stroked her girlfriend’s hair lovingly. "I understand that, honeybear. I think he really needs you right now. I love you too." She said and kissed her forehead. "Do you want me to come with you, baby? Or would you rather go alone? I can drive you, I wouldn’t want you to take the subway now. If you want to go alone I can do some shopping or something. What do you say?"

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"If you could drop me off that'd be great. I think... it's just the fact that we've known each other for so long, he's always been there for me and now it's time I was there for him."

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Without You|| Closed RP with lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen nodded. “That’s true. And at least she… she doesn’t have to pretend that she’s ok anymore. God those last few months hurt so much.” She sighed shakily. “Collins must be a mess.”

[lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson]

"It’s.. better this way.. for her. Yeah.. I bet she’s happy now.. probably chuckling how messy we look huh." She tried to joke, though she did it half-heartily. Joanne nodded. "I know, Mo. She didn’t deserve all that.." She played with her girlfriend’s curls, something she found soothing. "Yeah. I hope he’s doing alright. We will take care of him.. help him with whatever he needs." She knew the best thing Collins needed right now was to know he wasn’t alone in this. She couldn’t imagine how he must feel now. She did know if it was her that had lost Maureen, she would be beyond devastated. 

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"Probably." Maureen said quietly. "And she didn't deserve any of the shit she went through." She sighed heavily, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I love you, you know that but I need to see if he's ok. He's my best friend and I know he'd do the same for me."

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Without You|| Closed RP with lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen curled up in Joanne’s arms. “I’ll go a bit later. Mark is already on his way and Roger is keeping an eye on Mimi.” She shook her head. “I just can’t believe it. I only saw her yesterday and now she..” Maureen trailed off, as she began sobbing. “It isn’t fair.”

[lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson]

Joanne gently rubbed Maureen’s back for comfort. “I know, baby. Things like that.. they just happen. It isn’t fair.” She kissed her temple. “It’s unfair how some real bastards just get away with things and good people like Angel get sick. At least..” She choked up, finding it difficult herself to talk. “She’s not in pain anymore.” She knew it was very little comfort, but she felt like saying it anyway. 

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen nodded. "That's true. And at least she... she doesn't have to pretend that she's ok anymore. God those last few months hurt so much." She sighed shakily. "Collins must be a mess."

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Without You|| Closed RP with lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"It was Mark." She said quietly, sitting down next to Joanne. "Angel… she…" Maureen could barely get the words out. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to stay focused. "Angel died about an hour ago."

[lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson]

Joanne closed her eyes for a moment. Hearing the name Angel was enough. She had gotten sicker and sicker and Joanne had feared it was Angel and she had been right. “Oh god.” Was all she could manage as tears fell from her eyes. She had loved Angel dearly and it pained her to know that Angel.. was now gone. She gathered Maureen into her arms, she needed to feel her girlfriend against her now. “Do you want to go to Collins?” She asked softly.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen curled up in Joanne's arms. "I'll go a bit later. Mark is already on his way and Roger is keeping an eye on Mimi." She shook her head. "I just can't believe it. I only saw her yesterday and now she.." Maureen trailed off, as she began sobbing. "It isn't fair."

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

"My abuela has some really good stuff that covers bruises until they go naturally if you want to borrow it."

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark gave Angel a small smile and shook his head. “Nah. Thank you, though. My parents think I’m clumsy, so if they see the bruise, they won’t even ask.”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"I still think you should tell them. Or at least someone. They need to be stopped."

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Without You|| Closed RP with lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson

Maureen got off the phone, shaking slightly. Her eyes were already wet with tears. She couldn’t believe it. How could Angel have died? She walked over to Joanne, sighing heavily. 

"Pookie? We need to talk." She glanced back towards the phone, itching to get over to Collins’ place. But she had to tell Joanne first, that was the priority.

[lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson]

Joanne was busy with work, writing up a contract. She had heard the phone, but paid no attention to is. “Hmm? What is hone..” She looked up and saw her girlfriend’s tears streaked face. She put her pen down. “Baby? What’s wrong?” Joanne knew her girlfriend wouldn’t just cry for nothing, so whatever it was, it was bad news. “Who was on the phone?”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"It was Mark." She said quietly, sitting down next to Joanne. "Angel... she..." Maureen could barely get the words out. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to stay focused. "Angel died about an hour ago."

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

"It’s fine." Angel said quietly before following Maureen’s gaze, wincing in sympathy. "That looks awful."

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

"I got it this morning when those assholes threw me into the doors in the front of the school as a ‘welcome back’ present," Mark snapped. He pulled his shirt back up, looking miserable.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"Assholes." Maureen said probably a little bit too loudly as the entire class turned around and looked at her. She just smiled brightly and waved.

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

Angel watched Maureen quietly. “The black is nice, although red would work better with your skin tone and hair colour.”

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark studied Angel for a long moment before giving her a small smile and leaning back in his desk. He glanced around before pulling down his shirt to study his shoulder. He grimaced when he saw that it was already bruised. “Shit.”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen smiled gently at Angel. "Really? Thanks I'll remember that." She leaned across and looked at Mark's bruise, her eyes widening. "Jesus Christ! When did you get that?"

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

Angel walked into he classroom, staying close to Mark. She looked across as she saw another person in her old school smirk cruelly at her. “Fucking tranny.” He said, loud enough for her to hear but not loud enough to cause a big scene.

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark heard the guy and gave him a glare, although it probably looked more like a kitten trying to be fierce rather than an actual glare. He motioned for Angel to step in front of him and sit beside Maureen. 

He motioned to what Maureen was doing. “This is why teachers don’t like you.”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen sighed dramatically and moved her feet off the desk, still focusing on her nails. "Well sometimes I like to relax before lesson. That isn't my fault."

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

Angel frowned softly at Mark. “Are you ok?”

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark nodded and grumbled, “Fine.” He followed Maureen into the classroom and slunk to the back left corner.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Maureen sat in the corner of the classroom, her feet on the desk as she carefully painted her nails. "God this lesson drags."

[heels-and-drumsticks]

A New Start|| Closed High School AU with hidesinhiswork and jumpoverxthemoon

[heels-and-drumsticks]

"That’s good." Angel smiled. "I love English, I’m looking forward to it."

[hidesinhisworkarchive-blog]

Mark started to say something, but someone bumped into his bad shoulder far too hard to be an accident, causing him to grit his teeth and shut his eyes in pain. “Shit,” he growled. He opened his eyes to see Brick, one of the football team members. He smirked at Mark, mouthed ‘faggot,’ and vanished into a classroom.

The blond scowled, turning his gaze back to Angel and Maureen. “C’mon. Let’s hurry up.”

[jumpoverxthemoon]

"Asshole." Maureen muttered, glaring at Brick "God those kids are such dicks." She walked into the classroom fuming.

[jumpoverxthemoon]

Without You|| Closed RP with lawyer-joanne-pookie-jefferson

Maureen got off the phone, shaking slightly. Her eyes were already wet with tears. She couldn't believe it. How could Angel have died? She walked over to Joanne, sighing heavily. 

"Pookie? We need to talk." She glanced back towards the phone, itching to get over to Collins' place. But she had to tell Joanne first, that was the priority.